Coin-controlling mechanism for vending machines



7 1,613 882 1927' A. P. GILBERTSON COIN CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES Original Filed March 2v 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [a {3.9 [L June/"4,01,

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1,613,882 Ja 11 1927' A. P. GILBERTSON com cowmonmue MECHANISM- FOR VENDING MACHINES ori inal Filed March 2. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANSEL R GILBERTSON, OF "WAUSAU, WISCONSIN;

COIN-CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR VENDING MACHINES.

Original application filed March 2, 1925., Serial, No. 12.680. Divided and. this application filed; September This invention relates to improvements in vending machines.

The primary object of ti invention is the provision of a novel type of coin operated vending machine, which is particularly well adapted to be used in connection with vending of cigarettes and like articles.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a simple and compact vending machine, en'ibodying an efficient coin operated mechanism, foolproof in nature, and carried in an accessible position, and in such manner that the same will not interfere with access to the interior of the machine for the purpose of refilling with the article to be dispensed.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel type of dispensingmachine, embodying a closure which carries a coin operating mechanism of a simple and compact nature.

vOther objects and advantages of this. invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate'corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure l is a front elevation of the improved vending machine.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional View taken through the vending machine substan tially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-3 of Figure 6 of the drawings.

Figure d is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 4c4 of F igure 1 of the drawings.

Figures 5' and 6 are cross sectional Views taken through the coin controlling mecha nism of the vending machine substantial- 1y on their respective lines in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 77 of F ig ure 6, through the hopper mechanism of the vending machine, and the cooperating coin controlling part.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 1, through the locking mechanism.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only a preferred em- Serial, No. 59,175.

bodimentof this invention, the letter A may generally designate the improved vendlng machine, .which may consist of a casing B; dispensing mechanism G; and coin operated means D for cooperative use with the dispensing mechanism 0 to regulate'the dis pensing of the articles to be vended- The casing B is of any approved character, although the same-may be rectangular, and it consists of a body portion 10, providinna rear wall 11; side walls 12 and 18; top wall 14; and the weighted base or bottom wall 15; said body 10 being open forwardly thereof, and receiving the hinged closure 16 thereat. The closure 16 is hinge'dly con nected, as at 18, at the forward edge ofthe wall 12, and may swing to open the casing body 10 so that the same may be refilledwith the articles to be vended.- A lock mechanism 20, of the key operated type, is supported by the free marginportion of the closure 16, for locking cooperation with suitable keeper mechanism carried by the wall 13.,thesa1ne being in accordance with the construction illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings. If desired, the body 10' may have the walls thereof constructed. of wood, sheet lined with metal, or said walls may be constructed of sheet metal or wood.

Upon the exterior surface of the closure 16, it is preferred to. mount a panel 26, which may be used for displaying advertisements of any approved character. At the lower portion of the closure 16, the same is pro vided with an article dispensing opening 27 communicating with the receiving compartment 28 of the body. 10. r The closure 16 forwardly thereof and below the panel 26 will also be provided with suitable receptacle means 30 for carrying a box of matches 31.

Referring to the dispensing and article controlling mechanism 0, the same'is carried entirely within the compartment 29 of the body 10, and the same mainly includes a cylindrical shaped dispensing member 85, which includes a shaft 36 centrally thereof having a step bearing 37 in the rear wall 11, and at the opposite end thereof providing a bearing in the form of a clutch part 39, which rotatably bears in a supporting bracket 40, which is in the nature of a piece of sheet material flanged at its ends s1 and secured to the inside surface of the side walls 12 and 13. This sheet metal supporting bracket 40 is disposed in a vertical plane, in-

wardly of the compartment 29 of the body 10, in spaced relation to the door or clo sure 16 when the same is shut, and it is mounted between the top and bottom walls of the casing B. The dispensing cylinder- 35 is preferably rotatably mounted on the shaft 36, and keyed thereto, at a point between the side walls, and on an axis between the top and bottom walls, although closer to the bottom wall or base 15 than to the top wall.

The dispensing cylinder 35 is preferably of any approved type, formed to receive any approved articles which are intended to be dispensed. The supply of articles is con tained in the compartment above the hopper or dispensing cylinder 35. The dispensing cylinder 35 may be surrounded by a suitable guide casing wall 58, suitably formed in accordance with the description given in my copending application, Serial No. 12,639, filed March 2, 1925, of which the present application is a division. The articles are intended to be dispensed into the space below the hopper or cylinder 35, and fall upon a sloping wall 63, in which position the articles are inclined for easy sliding through the opening 27.

Referring to the coin controlling mechanism D, which is carried by the closure 16, for operation of the dispensing cylinder 35, the same includes a wall 79 connected rearwardly in spaced relation at the inside surface of the closure or door 16, in spaced relation therewith to provide a compartment 72 between the same wall 7 O and the closure 16. Upon the inside surface of this wall a wall 73 is connected, in spaced relation, providing a compartment 7 1 between the same and the wall 7 O, and within which compartment vertical guide flanges 75 and 76 are provided, between which a guide slot or way 77 is provided, adapted to slidably receive therein a lower slide member 78, and an upper hand operated and coin engaging slide or plunger 79, the nature of which will be subsequently described. A. rearmost wall or partition 80 is carried by the closure 16, spaced from the inner wall 73, and adapted when the door or closure 16 is shut to lie in the same plane above the bracket plate 10 which provides a bearing for one end of the cylinder 35. This wall 80 is so located that the articles at their forward ends cannot be displaced, and will be properly guided onto the cylinder 35. Below the wall portion 80, an offset wall portion 83 is prov preferably integral with the wall 80, c forwardly of the bearing bracket plate 41:0, within which an opening is provided for rotatably supporting a clutch part 88., adapted to cooperate with the clutch part 39 of the dispensing cylinder 35, in a manner which will be subsequently described. These walls mav be assembled in the relation described by means of screws or bolts 85, after the manner illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings, or may be soldered to each other and to the door 16.

A stub shaft 89 rotatably bears in the walls 70 and '73 across the space 7st therebctween, in axially aligning relation with the shaft 36 of the dispensing cylinder 35, and projects into the compartment or space 72 between the closure 16 and the wall 70, and therein is provided with a gear 90. The shaft 89 also extends into the space between the wall 7 3 and the wall portion 83, and at its rear has the clutch part 88 keyed thereto. Between the cluteh'part 88 and the wall 73, however, an arm 91 is pivotally mounted upon the shaft portion 89, which is provided with a pawl 92 adapted to cooperate over the teeth 93 of a ratchet wheel 94 which is keyed to the stub shaft 89 adjacent the clutch part 88. The slide member 78 is slidable in a'path which intersects the stub shaft 89, and is provided with a vertical slot 96 therein to permit relative movement of the said slide member with respect to the shaft- 89, and as is illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings. The outer or upper end of the arm 91 is pivotally connected to the upper end of the slide member 78, by means of a connecting rod or shaft 99; the pin 100 which so connects the connecting rod to the slide member 78 extending through the wall 73, through a vertical slot 102 therein, so that the pin may slide along this wall. in a defined path. The connecting rod 99 and the arm 91 are pivoted in an obtuse angular relation, with the pivotal connection 103 of the connecting rod with the arm 91 located laterally of the path of sliding movement of the slide member 78, so that upon downward movement of the slide member 78 the pawl 92 engaging the ratchet wheel 94: will cause the same to rotate for a certain degree of movement, sufficient when the clutch members 88 and 89 are in engagement to rotate the dispensing cylinder 35 for a degree of movement necessary in order to dispense one of the articles vended. A spring 105 is preferably connected between an arm 106 rigid with the arm 91 and the pawl 92 for the purpose of urging the latter into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 91, to prevent displacement therefrom. To prevent return movement of the ratchet wheel 94 a detent 107 is pivoted, as at 108,

to the wall 7 3, spring urged, as at 109, into engagem nt with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 94:, to prevent such backward movement, as is illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings.

The closure 16 at an upper corner thereof is provided with a coin inserting opening 115 therein, and such opening extends into the compartment 74: between the walls 70 and 73, wherein downwardly and laterally sloping guide flanges 116 and 11 7 are provided, to define a way 118 which communicates with the way 7 7, so that the coin may pass along the way 118 into the way '77 to a point between the upper plunger or slide member 7 9 and the lower slide member 7 8, and upon the upper beveled edge 119 of which ilower slide member 78 the :coin rests, IISlSLlll-UStTH-lIQCl in Figure 6 of the drawings. In the compartment or space 74 between the walls 170 and 73 a lateral and downwardly sloping way .120 is provided by means of guide :flan-ges 1211.; said way 120 communifcaitang with the way 77 :at a point below the communication of the way 118 with the way 7.7. The ways 1118 and 1 :are, however, divergent with respect to each other from the "way 77, and the way 120 downwardly slopes into communication with a vertical way 122, whi'chat the lower end thereof is provided with an opening 123 through the wall 7 3,

'which communicates into .a coin receiving compartment 125 located in the body 10 above the base 15, :and below the arcuate 'article' guiding wall '62, as is illustrated in Figure 3 of the :drawings. The lower edge ofthe slot 123, is beveled downwardly, as at 128, to insure the dropping or lateral movement of the coin "from the slot 122, as the :same reaches the opening 123, :and as is illustra'ted in the drawings. 7

A handle or finger engaging lrnob 130 is connected with the upper end of the plunger :79, extending -throug h vertical :slots 131 provided in the door 16 and the wall 70, and

projecting exteriorly of the door :or closure 16, where a person may grasp the same in order to push the plunger 7 9 downwardly in the way 7 1'. A spiral compression spring is disposed in the space :72 between the closure 1'6 and the adjacent wall T0, at its lower end resting upon 'a pin or analogous support 134 and at its upper end engaging the knob or finger member 180 to force the same npward lyintheslots 131 ,-and to always maintain the member 79 in its uppermost position in the slot 77, and so that the beveled lower edge 1 10 thereof is always up wardly above the entrance of the way 118 to the way 77, to permit the coin to roll downwardly along the way 118 into the space in the way 77 bet-ween the edges 119 and 140, as is illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings. A spring 145 is provided for bringing the lower slide member 7 8 back to its uppermost position in the way 77, and this spring is illustrated in Figure 2 as being connected to the wall 73 at its upper end and to the pin 100 at its lower end to operate in the manner mentioned.

Referring to the operation of the improved vending machine, a person slips a coin of suitable character into the opening 115, and the same by gravity rolls downwardly along the sloping way 118 into the way '17 to resting relation iup'on'the upper edge 11:9 ofthe slide member 7 8. The person then pushes downwardly upon the knob 2130, which directs :the slide member or plung- -er 79 downwardly along the way 77 until the lower edge 1 10 thereof comes into en :gageinen't with the coin at its :upper edge. This coin is of just sufficient diameter that the space occupied thereby will permit the lowering of the plunger 79 to also lower or push the slide member 78 downwardly. Such downward movement of the slide member 7 8 functions in the manner above described for movin the arm '91 upon the shaft'89 as .a pivot axis, so that the paw-l 92 engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel '94 will rotate the latter through the desired degree, for moving :the cylinder "in the proper direction, in order to dispense the article from above the cylinder into the compartment therebelow, from which the operator may extract the same through the opening 27. The coin in the slot 77 maintains its position until the same comes opposite'the entrance of the sloping way 120 to the way '77, and when in this position the fact that the coin is pressed between the beveled edges 11 9 and 1 10., which diverge towards the way 120, causes "this coin to enter the way 120 and drop downwardly therealong into the way 122, and through the opening 123 into the coin receiving compartment Upon the release of the coin into the way 120, the spring 14-13 will of course urge the slide member 78 upwardly, and thus moving the pawl 92 backwardly over the teeth of the ratchet wheel 94. The ratchet wheel 94 dursuc h backward. movement of the pawl, however, is prevented from turning by the detent 107, as above mentioned, and :as is illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings. The clutch parts'88 and are-of any approved nature, although it is preferred that the same at their facing surfaces be provided with tapered radially extending teeth, or corrugations, adapted to intermesh with each other to provide a positive connection between the shafts 89 and 36. It is also preferred to point or taper the shaft 89, as at 150, for seating in suitable recess in the end of the shaft 36, after the manner illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, to properly align the shafts 36 and 89, and cause the clutch parts to seat in meshing relation, as the door 16 is closed to place the parts of the mechanism in an operating connecting relation.

To prevent rotation of the cylinder 35, by unauthorized means, except when the proper coin is inserted between the slide members 78 and 79, it is preferred to connect a detent 155 with the lower portion of the slide memher 78, by means which extends through a slot 156 formed in the wall the detent 1.55 at its upper end being provided with a series of teeth or recesses of a nature to intermesh with the teeth of the gear 90; the said detent 155, of course, operating in the space between the closure 16 and the wall 70, and being held into engagement with the gear 90 by the. spring 1&5, when the slide member 7 8 is uppermost, to effectively prevent any rotation of the dispensing cylinder 35, until the slide member 78 is lowered to move the detent out of engagement with the gear 90. As is illustrated in the drawings,

the walls carried at the inside of the clo sure 16, at the swinging edge of said closure 16 are spaced to permit the inward swinging of the same into the body 10 of the casing B, as is illustrated in Figures 4 and 7 of the drawings. In the upper article supply compartment, the space between the side wall 13 and the free edge of the closure carried walls, is closed by means of a flange 160, to prevent liability of catching of the articles in this space.

From the foregoing description of this invention it is apparent that a vending ma- Zchine has been provided. which includes a novel type of coin operating mechanism car ried by the closure, so that the details of the invention are very compact when assembled to enable a proper cooperative connection of the dispensing mechanism with the coin operated mechanism, for the purpose of efficiently dispensing the articles.

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a coin operating mechanism the com bination of a supporting frame having a guide way formed therein, a shaft carried by the supporting frame, a ratchet wheel carried by said shaft, a slide member in said guide way means connecting said slide member for pawl operation of said ratchet wheel to rotate the same as the slide member is moved in one direction along said way, means normally returning the slide member to one position in said guideway, a second slide member in said way, means normally maintaining said second slide member in said way in spaced relation from the first mentioned slide member, means for dropping a coin into the space in said way between said slide members, means cooperating with said way to remove the coin from said way after the first mentioned slide member has been operated to operate said shaft, a, gear carried by said shaft, and a locking detent carried by said first mentioned slide member adapted to engage said gear to lock the shaft in position when the slide member returned to its normal position.

In a coin controlling mechanisln the combination of a supporting frame, ashaft rotatably carried by the supporting frame, a ratchet wheel connected with said shaft, an arm pivoted on said shaft, a pawl carried by said arm for engagement with said ratchet wheel to turn the ratchet wheel upon pivotal movement of the arm upon said shaft, detent means operating on said ratchet wheel to prevent back movement thereof upon return movement of the arm and pawl, a slide member carried by said frame, means connecting said slide member with said arm for operation of. said arm upon movement of said slide member, spring means normally returning the arm and slide member to a predetermined position, a second slide member, means for depositing a. coin in the space between said'sli-de members, means for permitting movement of the coin from between said slide members after operation of said ratchet wheel, agear carried by said shaft, and a locking detent carried by said first mentioned slide member for locking against said gear upon return movement of said first mentioned slide member.

ANSEL P. GILBERTSON. 

